# best way to clean up a vulcanite mouthpiece?



## petewho (May 22, 2008)

What's the best way to care for an oxidized, slightly browning, rubber-tasting vulcanite mouthpiece?

Thanks in advance.


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## Sovereign (Jun 17, 2008)

mr. clean magic eraser and olive oil


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## wharfrathoss (Dec 27, 2006)

http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=13541&page=2

http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=187521

hope these help


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## oa457 (Oct 29, 2008)

i have heard to use toothpaste to clean and then olive oil to finish


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## GWN (Jun 2, 2007)

oa457 said:


> i have heard to use toothpaste to clean and then olive oil to finish


I just cleaned up a bunch of pipes with rough bits and this worked like a charm. Just have to sit a bit so the minty-fresh odour dissipates.


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## sean373 (Sep 21, 2007)

i used the magic eraser and it worked awesome. i was suprised how much brown yucky stuff it removed.


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## Mr Mojo Risin (May 26, 2007)

I use 400 grit sand paper, Then White diamond on the buffing wheel. Wipe clean with cotton rag and presto, brand new stem. I've also started buffing them with carnuba wax. Seems to keep the shine on much longer with no aftertaste.
Brian..p


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## petewho (May 22, 2008)

I never thought to check the stickies on cleaning up estate pipes because it was a brand new, never smoked pipe that had this oxidizing mouthpiece. 

Well, thanks for all the tips. I went with the magic eraser & olive oil and it worked perfectly. Not only does it look better, but it tastes better now too.


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## Hydrated (Aug 9, 2006)

petewho said:


> I never thought to check the stickies on cleaning up estate pipes because it was a brand new, never smoked pipe that had this oxidizing mouthpiece.


I've had no end to the oxidation problems with the new pipes that I've bought at retail outlets. They're usually wiped down with some nice shiny polish that belies the fact that they're badly oxidized.

I told my local B&M about it, and they seemed to be clueless as to how to actually CLEAN a pipe. I told them that I refused to buy from them anymore because I had to work on every pipe that I bought from them before it was fit to smoke.

We now have the understanding that I get deep discounts on pipes there. (Of course I have been a long time customer... so they knew I wasn't just out to rip the shop off.)

So check the pipes that you buy... they might be unsmoked, but they ain't necessarily new.


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## petewho (May 22, 2008)

Hydrated said:


> I've had no end to the oxidation problems with the new pipes that I've bought at retail outlets. They're usually wiped down with some nice shiny polish that belies the fact that they're badly oxidized.


They didn't even try to hide it - this mouthpiece was brown when I bought it, and I was so noob I thought that coloring was on purpose :r

It's black now.

edit - all I'm smokin' lately is the cob you bombed on me anyway, so the briars are just setting there waiting for me to be less rookie.


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## Dgar (Sep 12, 2006)

oa457 said:


> i have heard to use toothpaste to clean and then olive oil to finish


I did this to one of my pipes this weekend, the oxidation was light, so the toothpaste and olive oi cleaned it right up, had it looking all nice and new when I finished.


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

This pipe arrived last week; the bowl was pretty clean but the vulcanite stem was badly oxidized. I experimented on the stem with an overnight ketchup (acid) soak and a half-day Coke immersion. Didn't make a dent. Magic Eraser is OK and so is a gritty toothpaste rubbed on with a damp paper towel. Bleach soak is the best in my book, but this stem carries an original Brakner green dot and I didn't want to risk damaging it.


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

Mister Moo said:


> This pipe arrived last week; the bowl was pretty clean but the vulcanite stem was badly oxidized. I experimented on the stem with an overnight ketchup (acid) soak and a half-day Coke immersion. Didn't make a dent. Magic Eraser is OK and so is a gritty toothpaste rubbed on with a damp paper towel. Bleach soak is the best in my book, but this stem carries an original Brakner green dot and I didn't want to risk damaging it.


I've used auto rubbing compound (not, it doesn't rub itself automatically - automobile). Works like a charm, green goop gets stripped out. A piece of tape over the logo/dot should protect it. Some very fine grit sandpaper 2000 or so, if its really green like fungus.

And because its Mr. Moo ...

*PACK PACK PACK*​that pipe :r


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

RJpuffs said:


> And because its Mr. Moo ...
> 
> *PACK PACK PACK*​that pipe :r


Honestly 'Puffs, you can be such poopiehead in front of the youngsters. You, your shiney little grit-pipe and three barnyard animals will be the subject of my next limerick.


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## gillywalker (Oct 29, 2008)

I tried the magic eraser and used olive oil... it's still kind of matte finished looking on this one pipe. Is my next step taking it to someone with a polishing wheel? It's not all that important to me, but I'm kinda bummed after seeing all the beautiful results on this forum from cleaning jobs.


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## Vrbas (Sep 17, 2008)

^^^^ that my friend.... is a gorgeous pipe.


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## parris001 (Mar 29, 2008)

I use two different grits of Scotchbrite pad. I get the red and grey from Home Depot. I wet sand the stems with a dishwashing soap and water mixture, starting with the more abrasive red and finishing with the grey. I get good results. I finish the whole thing off with carnabu wax and a buffing wheel I use on my briar.


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## morefifemusicanyone (Aug 23, 2008)

I used wet/dry 2000 grit sandpaper and a little dish with some water and dish soap. This worked like a charm (the water needed to be changed a couple of times). I was a bit worried about the inlay on the stem (I cleaned a Grabow Westbrook with an orange spade and a kaywoodie drinkless with a clover), but light sanding showed no effect. After the stem was pretty darn clean, I put a light coating of barkeepers friend on as well and rubbed it off with a towel. This took care of the little grime left. Next, I used a q-tip to put a light coating of veggie oil on the stem (you can use olive oil, but veggie oil works and is cheaper) and buffed it with a rag. Presto, great looking, clean stem.

I used barkeepers friend for the metal parts (works great) and everclear and bristle pipe cleaners for the inside gunk. The stems look great.

I haven't tried the bleach method, but this worked great!


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